SOUTH SUDAN: Archdiocese of Juba Orders 4-Day Closure of Catholic Institutions to Honour Nuns Killed in Road Ambush
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Following the death of two South Sudanese nuns who were among the people killed in an ambush on Monday, August 16, along the busy Juba-Nimule highway that connects South Sudan to Uganda, the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba has announced closure of Catholic Institutions for four days to honor the late Sr. Mary Daniel Abut and Sr. Regina Roba.
Announcing the mourning days on behalf of the administration of the Archdiocese, the Secretary General Fr. Samuel Abe said, “I would like to inform the public that all the Catholic Church Institutions (universities, seminaries, colleges, kindergarten, primary and secondary schools) in the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba will close down for four days to mourn the late Sr. Mary and Sr. Regina.”
According to the statement issued Tuesday, August, 17, the cleric stated that mourning of the two nuns who belong to the Institute of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and daily Eucharistic celebration commenced, “Tuesday 17th to Friday 20th August 2021 and work resumes on Monday 23 August 2021.”
Addressing the priests, Religious and faithful of the Archdiocese of Juba, Fr. Abe expressed the sad and untimely death of the nuns whom he describes were “shot by gunmen.”
In his earlier statement dated Monday, August 16, announcing the sad news after the death of Sr. Mary and before confirmation of Sr. Regina’s demise, the Secretary General said, “Sr. Abut and some other nuns got involved in an armed road ambush between Aru junction and Kubai in which her and her colleagues were shot at while coming from Loa (Parish of the Catholic Diocese of Torit where Centenary celebrations were held over the weekend) to Juba.”
According to Vatican news, Vatican’s Secretary of State, Pietro Cardinal Parolin, sent a telegram where Pope Francis has offered his “heartfelt condolences” to the families and Religious community of the nuns following what he describes “brutal attack,” and “senseless act of violence.”
Narrating the death of the two Sisters in a statement shared with AMECEA online, the Superior General Sr. Dr. Alice Jurugo expressed with deep sorrow the “cruel death” saying, “The bus left Loa parish around 7:30am and hardly in an hours’ drive, had they ran into an ambush of armed men who opened gun fire on them.”
“In the event, the driver ordered the men on board to flee out plus four other sisters. The armed men followed and shot the two sisters,” the Superior General disclosed adding that some other three sisters remained in the bus and the gunmen intended to burn them as they did with a small car in front of the bus. Thank God they did have neither a lighter nor petrol to start off the fire.”
Mourning the loss of the late two South Sudanese sisters the Superior General said, “In the two sisters the congregation has lost great resource persons with excelling leadership qualities. May their innocent blood unite us in our congregation more and bring peace to this country of South Sudan that has never known true peace.”
On her part Sr. Alice Anzoyo Dralu a member of the same congregation shared with AMECEA Online in an interview Wednesday, August 18, that the late sisters were “pillars for the congregation.”
“Sr. Mary was a woman who had a strong sense of Justice and integrity, thorough in her works and never left any stone un-turned,” Sr. Anzoyo eulogized their former superior who served for a period of 12 years adding that, “she played a very good role of a mother and has history of the congregation at heart.”
Sr. Anzoyo who serves as Director in the Centre for Leadership and Management Institute in Kenya’s Tangaza University College, expressed that the passing on of the Sisters is a great loss to the congregation.
“We will miss Sr. Regina for her dedication, love and kindness in offering nursing services,” she added.
“I honestly say that their facility with our local languages, their phenomenal sense of humor, and the depth of their insight will be missed in this nutty nation and world where they made, and will continue to make, a difference. I will always remember them as a gracious women, whose warmth and humanity won the affection of countless individuals, Catholics, and non-Catholics alike,” The Local Ordinary of the Catholic Diocese of Tomburo-Yambio, South Sudan, Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala mourned the two sisters in a statement shared with AMECEA Online Tuesday, August 17.
He eulogized further, “They will long be remembered as outstanding, (and) for years they have been guiding light” perhaps the guiding light “in presenting a coherent defense of Religious life and Catholic principles and applying those principles to issues of public import. Most importantly, they were also women of faith, persons whose relationship with God shaped their life and death that is why they went to Loa where they lived their God given vocation as young women of God.”
Bishop Hiiboro noted that the centenary of faith they celebrated in Loa parish, “was an earthly crown of their good life, and they have died as martyrs of South Sudan, our modern saints for good life.”
In sharing his grief, he also rejoices in their triumph, “as faithful and dedicated sisters of our church and country,” and asks that “those who have carried out this cowardice action God remains their judge.”
The requiem Mass and burial will be on Friday, August 20, at St. Theresa’s Cathedral parish- Kator.
